Spring is almost here. The snow is nearly melted, the ground is starting to soften, and the first crocuses peeped out today, which means it’s about time to get out in our garden and start prepping the spring beds. I have packs of cilantro and dill seeds, two herbs that love cool spring temperatures, plus…

My inbox has filled with wonderful, encouraging messages from readers since I wrote last week about my cancer diagnosis and treatment. Thank you for all the love and support. I hope the things I share about food and how it has helped me deal with treatment will help others, whether you are living with cancer…

Last week we had our first hard frost. Autumn had been teasing us with frost warnings for almost a week, though nothing had come of it yet. We’d picked the last of the tomatoes and peppers, and our counters overflowed until we made the last batch of sauce and Michael chopped about 10 pounds of…

I grew up in a meat and potatoes family, but about 15 years ago, I decided to reduce the amount of meat I consumed. I started eating more beans and legumes and adding more vegetables to my diet. At the time I was struggling with my weight, and over the course of a year I…

I think this post officially beats my record for the earliest Thanksgiving recipe, but I can’t help it; this butternut squash au gratin is just too good to wait until Turkey Day. Make it for Sunday dinner sometime with roasted chicken, turkey, or pork, and then again for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s definitely a keeper.

My boys and I enjoy having breakfast for dinner. I’ll occasionally whip up pancakes or waffles in the evening, but mostly I adore quiches and breakfast casseroles at dinner time. Of course they are great for weekend brunch, too, when you have a little extra time to prepare in the morning. I like to load…

Life is crazy enough during the holidays without adding complicated meals on top of the craziness. I try to keep weeknight meals easy any time of the year, but especially during December. This recipe for steak tips with mushroom pepper gravy from Cooking Light is an easy favorite, one that Hockey Guy requests regularly. It’s…

There’s something about cool air and the color of autumn leaves that causes me to start craving comfort foods. I start adding soups and roasted vegetables to our weekly menu, which will often include grits and polenta. I like my grits both savory and sweet, and this simple bowl of homey grits and mushrooms hits…

“Mommy, you know me so well!” That’s what I hear from Top Gun every time I tell him that we are having Chinese food for dinner. Seeing the excitement on his face always make me smile and feel happy that I’m making his favorite dishes, and that he has an adventurous palate and likes a…